Alabama Supreme Court Refuses to Move Lawsuit Against Roy Moore

The Alabama Supreme Court won’t transfer a defamation lawsuit against former U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore by a woman who says Moore molested her decades ago.

The court on Friday denied Moore’s request to have the case heard in Etowah County instead of Montgomery.

Leigh Corfman accused Moore of sexually molesting her decades ago when she was 14. Moore has denied the allegations.

Corfman filed a lawsuit against Moore and his campaign, saying they defamed her as they denied the accusations during the Senate race.

Moore sought to have the case heard in Etowah County where he and Corfman both live.

Corfman was one of several women who said Moore pursued relationships with them when they were teenagers.

Moore filed his own lawsuit against Corfman and the other accusers.

Moore released the following statement on his request being denied:

Because I have denied Leigh Corfman’s allegations of sexual misconduct, I will now be forced to try this case in a county where the supposed event did not occur, where she does not live, and where there exists no evidence or witnesses to prove anything. This is ridiculous!

The Court itself admits venue is proper in either county. Should not the case be tried in the county where we both live and where her reputation and character are well known? She herself has said: “There is no one here [Gadsden] that doesn’t know that I’m not an angel.”

Corfman based her defense of venue in Montgomery County on two statements. One was made by a nonparty and thus was irrelevant to the case, and the other was made in a court case where the statement was privileged. Yet the Supreme Court refused to consider these facts in making its decision.

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